Research in the United States, Canada, Europe, and other developed countries, among predominantly middle - class populations, provides strong evidence that human milk feeding decreases the incidence and / or severity of diarrhea,1 - 5 lower respiratory infection,6 - 9 otitis media,3,10 - 14bacteremia, 15,16 bacterial meningitis, 15,17 botulism, 18 urinary tract infection, 19 and necrotizing enterocolitis.20, 21 There are a number of studies that show a possible protective effect of human milk feeding
against sudden infant death syndrome,22 - 24insulin - dependent diabetes mellitus,25 - 27 Crohn's
disease, 28,29 ulcerative colitis, 29 lymphoma, 30,31
allergic diseases,32 - 34 and other chronic digestive diseases.35 - 37 Breastfeeding has also been related to possible enhancement of cognitive development.38, 39